DFDS Orders RORO Pair

Northern Europe’s shipping and logistics company DFDS has today ordered two additional RoRo newbuildings from Jinling Shipyard in China.

The new ships are slated for delivery in early 2020 and are planned to be deployed in DFDS’ route network on the North Sea.

“The ships form part of our new building programme that underpins our ability to deliver the transport capacity required by our customers and our continuous pursuit of efficiency improvements,” says Niels Smedegaard, CEO.

The ships are similar to the two ships ordered in September 2016, for delivery in early 2019, and are likewise designed to each carry 6,700 lane metres of freight equivalent to around 450 trailers.

The large size of the ships will decrease unit costs as well as the environmental impact per transported unit, the company said in a release.

As disclosed, the ships represent a new generation of environmentally friendly RoRo ships as they comply with the latest environmental rules of the new IMO-standard EEDI (Energy Efficency Design Index). Also included are scrubbers for the removal of sulphur, ballast water treatment systems and a number of energy efficiency initiatives.

The investment in the two ships totals around DKK 1.0 billion (USD 150 million) to be paid during the period from ordering to delivery in early 2020. More than half of the payment is due on delivery.

Hence, DFDS’ investment outlook for 2017 is raised to DKK 1.8 billion from previously DKK 1.7 billion following the new order.